Maybe you just got a new home that you want to put some work into, or maybe you’re just sick of looking at the same exterior of your house every day. Whatever your reason for starting up a landscaping project, there are some things that too many people do without realizing how bad they are. Landscaping is labor-intensive and can be expensive, so it’s best to get as much out of it as possible. Be careful of these things you need to avoid when landscaping your yard so that you don’t waste time or money.
Cutting Your Grass Too Short
Yes, there is such a thing as too short of grass. Whether it’s winter or summer, extremely short grass has a tendency to die very quickly. Either the cold makes the grass roots wither, or the sun scorches the soil. Leave a little bit of length in your grass so that you don’t end up with dead spots or bald patches all over your lawn.
Putting Plants in the Wrong Places
You can’t just put new plants wherever they seem to fit best. It’s a crucial part of landscaping to know where certain plants will prosper the most. Some plants need as much sun as possible, whereas others might dry out in too much sun. Be careful of placing plants and trees near power lines or in the shade created by your house.
Not Knowing How Large a Plant Will Get
One mistake you need to avoid when landscaping your yard is underestimating how large a plant might grow. Planting new trees and shrubs is fine, but make sure you know what you’re getting yourself into. You don’t want a new tree to grow deep into your piping or a bush to grow so large that it blocks part of your driveway.
Forgetting About Local Wildlife
Whatever wildlife you normally deal with will have a profound effect on the kind of landscape you need to create. If you don’t consider the wildlife before planting a vegetable garden, for instance, you may have a huge problem on your hands. You can still go forward with your landscaping but be prepared to enact countermeasures to protect your new landscape from critters and other animals.
Forgoing Proper Maintenance
It’s always fun to get new things, even where landscaping is concerned. However, you can’t expect to install some new plants and have them survive forever without a little maintenance. Without proper maintenance, all that time and effort will go to waste as your landscape withers away. Consider whether you can handle the maintenance of something new before you make the decision to install it permanently.